His Key
by PrincessTutu22
Summary: Bonnie is the key to turninhg Damon's humanity back on. Bamon one shot.


**To the lovely anon who requested the Bamon one-shot prompt: "Bonnie is the key to turning back on Damon's humanity". If anyone else is interested in requesting one, feel free to drop an ask in the ask box of either of my tumblrs located on my profile. I do not own Vampire Diaries.**

Stefan and Caroline anxiously sat in the boarding house living room glancing at the clock and checking their phones.

"Are you sure she said she'd be here soon", Caroline began pacing and running her hands worriedly through her hair, "What if we don't make it in time?"

"Positive. She said she was on her way", however, Stefan sounded a little doubtful himself.

He trusted the witch sure, but these past few months, the aftermath of Elena's slumber, had led to a predictably grieving Damon, but it had also put a strain on his and Bonnie's relationship. In no time at all, he flipped the switch and was plaguing the Mystic Falls residents.

Prior to all this, Bonnie decided to take a break from Mystic Falls for awhile and find her cousin, Lucy. They hadn't heard from her in a few weeks, but as if in answer to their silent prayers, the Bennett picked up on the first _ring._

 _"Hello?"_

 _"Bonnie, hey...", Bonnie could almost hear Stefan cry out in relief over the phone._

" _What's up? Is everything back home ok", she tested the waters. Whatever this impromptu call spelled out was probably nothing far from trouble._

 _"No, actually...things are terrible", he let out a stressed sigh._

 _Bonnie exchanged a look with her cousin. The car had just passed into Nasheville city lines._

 _"What's wrong", the older witch mouthed._

 _Bonnie shrugged and mouthed back, "Finding out now."_

 _It's Damon. He's shut off his humanity. We've, me and Care, tried everything. Matt's tried to help too, and Alaric, we can't get through to him. We're running out of options."_

 _"Stefan, I left for a reason. I can't keep coming back and cleaning up Damon's messes."_

 _All of the frustration of the last few weeks, the last few **months** , came flooding back to her. Damon was the reason why she left Mystic Falls. A walking reminder of how intensely loved Elena was, and that she was an obstacle in the way if him and her._

 _They, her friends, told her time and time again that it wasn't her. They loved Bonnie, they truly did. She believed them, but Damon, with his snide remarks and jokes about pushing her into traffic or letting her choke on food, made it unbearable to live in her own home."_

 _She felt a hand atop of hers, warm and gentle, "It's your call, Bonnie. You don't have to answer to them anymore. Think about yourself."_

 _In only a minute, an agonizing one, she responded to Stefan's plea, "I'll be there soon."_

 _"Thanks, Bonnie", but he was only answered with the click ending the call on the other line._

"That was yesterday, Stefan. Since then she could have changed her mind, or even turned back!" Caroline halted when the doorbell rang.

A quick glance at each other confirmed who they thought was there, and they vamp sped without delay.

When Stefan turned the knob and let the door fly inward, there stood Bonnie Bennett. Her hair had grown _a lot,_ falling inches past her shoulder. She wore an earthy colored blouse tied around with a belt adorned with an owl shaped brooch. Her denim jeans looked thoroughly pressed, and her shoulders were cloaked with a brown leather jacket.

She looked very much like the put together Bonnie they had had in their midst what felt like years ago.

"Bonnie...", Caroline practically leapt on the girl and pulled her into her arms. Familiarity washed over her, and her eyes pricked with tears.

"I missed you too, Care", Bonnie rubbed her back before removing herself from her embrace.

She couldn't get emotional, not now. She was going to find Damon, flip his switch, and bolt out. Back to her new life with her cousin.

"So where is he", she directed her attention to Stefan.

"We lost track of him after he was at the Grill; we were hoping you could...", he explained rather sheepishly.

"Use a locator spell?", she raised an eyebrow, "Fine. What do you have?"

She followed them into the living room. Sitting on the coffee table was everything she'd need. Next to the candles sat one of Damon's signature grey blue shirts.

Bonnie ran her hand along the fabric and lifted it to her face. She breathed in the nostalgic scent of bourbon and blood.

The clearing of Stefan's throat pulled her out of her reverie.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

Speaking in fluid Latin, the candles lit. Not with hesitation, she dropped the shirt onto the piece of paper and watched it catch fire.

"He's...at Whitmore. You let him leave town borders?" Bonnie crossed her arms and her eyes shone like fire. "More innocent people could get hurt!"

"Bonnie, we know. That's why we called you", Caroline voiced, trying to keep things calm.

"Let's not waste any time. Into the car", Stefan was already walking.

"Right behind you", Bonnie took the lead, enchanting Stefan's car doors open and taking shotgun.

...

The red car pulled right along the campus courtyard. All three stepped out and surveyed the area.

"So where is he exactly? We can't go leafing through the whole campus", Caroline inquired.

"Our only option. It's not a pinpoint tracking system. I can only get a general area", Bonnie shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Do we all at least remember the plan?" Stefan interjected.

The girls nodded curtly.

"Let's put those noses of yours to use."

Stefan looked at the witch confusedly.

"Get to sniffing. We're bound to find him quicker", she briefly explained before walking off in a general direction.

Stefan gave Caroline a look before following.

"You missed her too", she smiled.

"Can't deny that."

To fill the awkward silence during their hunt (so far they had checked the medical wing and the residence halls, and were now back outside), Caroline made an attempt at light conversation.

"So, Bonnie? What have you been up to, since you've been gone. "

"Just travelling around with Lucy. In fact, we were in Tennessee when you called", she answered.

"Do anything fun?"

What was happening? _How_ was this happening? The two used to be closer than this; everything was so tense right now.

"Sight seeing here and there. Nothing too special." She smiled at her friend forlornly.

"Look, Bonnie-", but Caroline was interrupted by Stefan.

"I smell him. In there", they followed his pointed finger to see the off campus Whitmore restaurant and bar.

"Why am I not surprised", Bonnie joked dryly.

"Ok, let's do this", Caroline was about to walk in when Bonnie blocked her with an arm.

"I'm going in first. Stick to the plan; we don't know how he'll act if he sees all of us at once."

"F-Fine...just be careful, ok?"

"Right."

Bonnie steeled herself, drawing energy, and then proceeded to make her entrance.

It was only faint outside, but when she stepped into the building, the stench of death and alcohol hung heavily in the air.

Bodies littered tables and counters. They slumped over each other, but puncture wounds were visible.

"Way to clean up, Damon", she mumbled while drawing her collar over her nose.

Old 90s music floating around becomes background noise when she reaches the centre. Lowbeam lights illuminate the older Salvatore brother. Blood messily dripped from his mouth as he drank from his victim: a brunette girl who was clearly incapacitated as the blood drenched her blue blouse.

After having his fill,he dropped her off the table he was standing on and then hopped off himself.

In an instant, cerulean eyes met forest green, and instead of shock, his mouth pulled into an amused grin.

"Bon Bon, welcome back", he sauntered over, and with each step forward, Bonnie took two steps back.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

His eyes drank her in, almost hungrily. It made her skin crawl.

"To get you back...", her voice lacked the confidence she was trying to conjure up.

"Aren't I right here?"

"No", she shook her head,"the real you, the one with (feelings). Flip the switch, Damon."

"And why would I do that", he stepped forward once more.

"Stefan's worried...and Elena...she wouldn't like it", it was a lame excuse, she knew. But it was the only leverage she had.

"Baby brother can't live without me for three weeks? Blondie's the only company he really needs. And Elena? Ha, she's dead. Sleeping. And all I have in her place is you. She can't stop me. In fact...", he ran his fingers along her arm before she pulled back aggressively.

"I could get her back if I just kill you."

Without warning, he gripped her shoulders and bared his fangs, only inches away from sinking them into her jugular before a familiar sensation invaded his head.

Bonnie held her hand out, twisting her palm to increase the pain.

"Now!"she screamed.

In mere seconds Stefan and Caroline were right behind Damon, and Stefan didn't waste any time snapping his neck.

Caroline went to her best friend's side and took her hands, "Bonnie, are you alright?"

Her shoulders were slumped and she breathed a weighted sigh, "Yeah, just...just exhausted. Come on, let's take him in."

Stefan and Caroline followed behind Bonnie, carrying Damon together. The car ride home was silent, and Bonnie seemed more spooked then before.

Before long, they were in the den waiting for Damon to wake up.

In the wee hours of the morning, once he finally did, he was already tied with vervain ropes, and a stake was held by each of the three.

"You're kidding yourselves", he riggled in his ropes before hissing.

"No one's leaving until you turn your humanity back on, Damon", Stefan said.

"Show me what you got."

Stefan and Caroline both looked to Bonnie to continue.

It's the reason why she was here. Ultimately, it was her fold, and her call. She just hoped she was enough.

She sighed as way of beginning, "These past few weeks that I've been gone, trying to leave Mystic Falls behind, my troubles behind, _you_ behind, I've been looking for a spell."

Damon rolled his eyes, "More witchy woo. Anything else? Give me something interesting."

She gulped, "A spell to bring Elena back."

That caught all of their attention.

"Go on."

"Lucy and I are travelling to Oregon, to see the Gemini coven. But before that, we've been gathering information. Some in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina so far. We're still searching Tennessee, getting in touch with other covens", her breathing shaky.

"But I thought Kai said-", Caroline began.

"Screw what Kai said! I was hurting! My best friend is gone because of him, because of _me_ , and my other best friend wants me dead!"

She was unravelling more and more.

She turned to Damon, marching closer and gripping the arms of his chair, staring him in the eyes, "I lost two people I cared about. Two people I loved, and I was done suffering. I was going to bring Elena back and be done with all of you. Damon, I'm begging you. Flip. Your. Switch."

Tears were already running down her cheeks and falling onto Damon's clothes. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a calming breath.

When she opened them, she knew by the depths of his own that he had done what she asked. Her cry, her lament, had pulled him out.

She hesitated despite before loosening the ropes and took a few steps back.

He rose from his chair, the flame in the fire place behind him casted a long shadow.

"I think I've done my job", she wiped the tears from eyes ad was about to say a farewell before being pulled into the arms of the man in front of her.

Floodgates bursted and she shook in his hold, shoulders heaving.

"Bonnie...Bon, I missed you. I've missed everything about you. I didn't want to...to drive you away. I'm such an idiot", he pulled her in more.

She gripped the back of his shirt with both hands, "Yeah, a real prick."

He chuckled, "There's my Judgy."

"Welcome back, Damon."

Stefan and Caroline looked fondly on at the both of them.

Bonnie wasn't making any plans on sticking around, but right now she was with the people she loved the most, she could afford to stick around for just a little while.

"Glad to be back, Bon Bon."


End file.
